Meet Jakejames Lugo: Host, Media Personality & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jakejames Lugo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jakejames, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
Success has a wide range of definitions and criteria for different people. For me personally, being successful goes far beyond the money you obtain or the amount of followers and subscribers you gain over time. That’s definitely an important part of it, but how much of an impact you have on those people personally and how long they remember you in a positive light afterwards for it is much more significant. I find it easier to create something with relevance and impact within a short moment, but it’s a lot more rewarding and satisfying to me if what I create impacts people for a long time, and allows them to remember and respect me beyond that.   

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being immersed within the games industry and gaming culture was always something that I took a lot of pride in. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been part of everything for over a decade now (Passed 10 years as of Jan 1st 2020), and it still remains as exciting as when I decided to take my first steps into all of it. It started from being a fan watching others on TV talk about my favorite hobby and eventually transformed into me proactively making that hobby into a real career. I love being part of the conversation about games and their significance as an entertainment medium and art form. It’s a welcoming and exceptionally diverse industry that is unique in many ways, despite being so misunderstood over the years by so many people. With all of the crazy things that get pushed out so often, I make it a point to showcase the better aspects and positive parts of gaming culture that all too often get overshadowed by everything else. It allows me to continue enjoying games while also remain vigilant in my professional ambitions. Being able to put together videos for places like YouTube for thousands to watch, writing editorials that have been published in major outlets like IGN and Playboy, speaking to groups of people about my perspective on games at conventions and Florida colleges, and even traveling around the United States to cover major events has been nothing short of a privilege that I never take for granted. The work itself was never easy and continues to get tougher as things change over time, but one thing that remains consistent for me is the fun I have engaging with all of it and crossing paths with so many people that have an affinity for gaming similar to my own. Its euphoric and will always be part of my life, professionally and personally.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There’s so many places to take someone who loves geek and otaku culture, especially here in South Florida. Outside all of the great food spots (too many to choose!), we’re lucky enough to have a lot of conventions and businesses that offer the type of entertainment fans of gaming would resonate with. Depending on the time frame, I would definitely take a friend to any one of the local conventions that occur during the weekend, getting the full access treatment to everything if I’m speaking or hosting a panel while there. Events like LumiCon, Anime Iwai, MizuCon, and so many others… You simply have to try to see and engage with everything going, especially the groups of people who love to frequent these events. You can make long-time friends at the most random and silly of events… But even before all of that, hitting up some of the arcades and collectible shops scattered around are some of the best things a fan of geek culture can do. Flynn’s Arcade & More is my go to spot for a mix of arcade style gaming, local events, and great people with a bit good snacks and dinner spots nearby to make a for a fun evening. When looking to buy stuff for any reason, I can’t go wrong with Tate’s Comics & More. Any kind of fandom has something there, and chances are you’ll find it before visiting anywhere else. A lot of the cool displays they have are on par with what you’d see at a San Diego Comic Con or other big conventions, so it’s definitely a must-see for me whenever I can. There’s many more places to visit beyond that, but that would be some of the first things that I would put on any schedule of mine when showcasing the best spots down here to a friend.   

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a lot of recognition and respect to my core family, who have had immense about of patience, understanding, and love in eternal support for what I do and the career path I’ve chosen. And I want to give a massive shout out of love to all of the people in South Florida who continuously supported me and my content over the years, to which their encouragement and kind words have always energized and revitalized me in each step of my journey. I wouldn’t trade any of them away for anything else in the universe…

Website: https://www.youtube.com/GamersWithGainsChannel
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJakejamesLugo
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jakejameslugo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jakejameslugo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJakejamesLugo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/GamersWithGainsChannel
Other: Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/jakejameslugo Twitch – https://www.twitch.tv/gamerswithgains

Image Credits
Madelin Lin – Bankai Photogrpahy Ben Cruz – BC Photography Ewin Racing PlayStation